1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to support device and particularly to fencing systems. More particularly the present invention relates to a sturdy, portable support device that allows for quick installation and removal and is adapted to be used in conjunction with one or more known wire type fencing means to establish a temporary boundary.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotational grazing is a pasture management technique that divides a particular pasture into smaller paddocks or areas for livestock grazing or separation in a controlled manner. It is known to use fencing systems for this purpose. The fencing systems must contain the animals' grazing activities to the defined area for a short amount of time. This prevents the livestock from inflicting damage to the grass and in some cases is designed for portion control of the animal(s), particularly in the cases where an animal may be prone to founder, navicular, digestive abnormalities or the pastures contain fresh spring grasses, high in protein. Once a particular paddock has been appropriately grazed the animals are moved to another paddock which allows for the just grazed paddock to quickly and efficiently recover and be ready for the next grazing cycle.
Rotational grazing is beneficial to both the animal and the pasture. The animal does not have to forage down to the grass' roots, or on lower nutritional value growth in the pasture. Another disadvantage of overgrazing is the animal(s) may take in bacteria or other parasites that may be harmful. Since the pasture is never over-grazed, the grass stays healthier and more efficiently replaces the roughage and nutrition that the animal needs. The result is a significant reduction in the acres of pasture required per animal and an improvement in the nutritional quality the pasture produces.
Generally, the more intense the pasture management the shorter a grazing cycle; this necessitates the pasture to have more paddocks. This creates a need for fencing systems to accommodate the animal(s) temporary containment into smaller areas but still allow for free movement from one paddock to a new area for grazing.
Typically, permanent fencing for this type of pasture management is utilized. However, permanent fencing systems are not without their problems. The installation of fence posts has always been a difficult. Holes are generally dug to a predetermined depth using one of several hand digging implements to dig out a hole into which a fence post is inserted. Because conventional posts provide no intrinsic lateral support, the hole must be relatively deep in proportion to the above-ground height of the installed post. Earth removed from the hole during digging is subsequently repacked around the installed post. Posts installed by this method are subject to lateral instability until weathering causes the earth to settle around the post. The earth generally sinks somewhat upon settling, forming a depression around the post which may collect water and subject the post to rot and damage caused by insects attracted to damp conditions. While an anchoring element may be installed adjacent the post to provide lateral support, a substantially larger hole must be dug to accommodate the anchoring element.
Another method in use is to use a prefabricated metal post commonly known as a “T” post. These posts are constructed of steel having a generally T-shaped configuration and has a series of horizontally extending studs vertically spaced along the longitudinal axis. A ram or driver weighted with a relatively dense material, such as lead or cement, is typically used to pound the post directly into the ground without first making a hole. Because of the weight of the driver and the requirement that the force of the driver be applied to the uppermost end of the post, this method is limited in its application to posts of certain lengths, generally 4 to 5 feet once inserted, and is not suitable for installation of posts having ornamental tops. This method is also not suitable for driving posts having large diameters or irregular shapes which might split under pounding, such as the hedgeposts commonly employed in farming and ranching. While there is no easy method for installation of posts in hard clay or rocky soils, driving the post is an especially burdensome task under such conditions. When driven into the ground, these posts provide sufficient support for fencing, but still must have a permanent post, described above, inserted at every 4th or 5th post to give adequate support for long runs of fence wire.
As can be seen from the description, one problem with both types of the above posts is they are difficult to install and remove.
Another problem with both types of posts is that they must be placed typically in relative close proximity to form a fence of sufficient strength to support a wire fencing means, such a an electric wire or barbed wire. This results in pasture management with a congested field having a large maze of fencing. The maze of posts makes it very difficult for the farmer or rancher to use tractors and implements for the conditioning and maintenance work necessary to maintain the pasture. Permanent fencing systems would also severely restrict the farmer's or rancher's ability to respond to varying conditions within the pasture which may dictate the need to define grazing areas that do not fit the existing arrangement of the permanent fencing system.
Accordingly there is a need for a portable fencing system that can be quickly and easily set up to define a small grazing area and then removed and set up at another grazing area. There is also a need for a portable fencing system that can be used to make corridors for the efficient movement of animals, or to otherwise manage the number and location of animals on the grazing areas. Such portable fencing system would give the pasture manager flexibility in providing for efficient grazing and recovery of the pasture. Thus, in order for rotational grazing to be optimized and labor minimized, the portable fencing system needs to be quick and easy to set up, securely anchored to the ground so that it will stay in place, and require few or no tools to install and remove it.